FALL 2003 VOLUME 94 ISSUE 2 - Website

your health
The following information is
from the Axis Center For
Public Awareness of People
with Disabilities.
1. When talking with a person
with a disability, speak directly
to that person rather than
through a companion or sign
language interpreter who may
be present.
2. When introduced to a person
with a disability, it is appropriate
to offer to shake hands. People
with limited hand use or who
wear an artificial limb can usually
shake hands. (Shaking hands
with the left hand is an acceptable
greeting.)
3. When meeting a person with
a visual impairment, always
identify yourself and others
who may be with you. When
conversing in a group, remember
to identify the person to
whom you are speaking.
4. If you offer assistance, wait
until the offer is accepted. Then
listen to or ask for instructions.
5. Treat adults as adults.
Address people who have disabilities
by their first names
only when extending the same
familiarity to all others present.
(Never patronize people who
Ten Commandments
for communicating with persons with disabilities
use wheelchairs by patting
them on the head or shoulder.)
6. Leaning or hanging on a person’s
wheelchair is similar to
leaning or hanging on a person
and is generally considered
annoying. The chair is part of
the personal body space of the
person who uses it.
7. Listen attentively when
you’re talking with a person
who has difficulty speaking. Be
patient and wait for the person
to finish, rather than correcting
or speaking for the person. If
necessary, ask short questions
that require short answers, a
nod or a shake of the head.
Never pretend to understand if
you are having difficulty doing
so. Instead, repeat what you
have understood and allow the
person to respond. The
response will clue you in and
guide your understanding.
8. When speaking with a person
in a wheelchair or a person
who uses crutches, place yourself
at eye level in front of the
person to facilitate the conversation.
9. To get the attention of a person
who is hearing-impaired,
tap the person on the shoulder
or wave your hand. Look direct-
ly at the person and speak
clearly, slowly and expressively
to establish if the person can
read your lips. Not all people
with a hearing impairment can
lip-read. For those who do lipread,
be sensitive to their needs
by placing yourself facing the
light source and keeping hands,
cigarettes and food away from
your mouth when speaking.
10. Relax. Don’t be embarrassed
if you happen to use
accepted, common expressions
that seem to relate to the person’s
disability, such as “see
you later” or “did you hear
about this?”
For information concerning people
with disabilities, call, write
or fax:
AXIS Center for Public
Awareness of People with
Disabilities
4550 Indianola Ave., Columbus,
Ohio 43214
614.262.8124 (V/TTY);
800.231.2947 (V/TTY);
614.267.4550 fax
Reprinted with permission of
the Ohio Dental Association.
Volume 76 Issue 11, November
2002. •
10 www.okdentassoc.org ODA JOURNAL FALL 2003